Newspaper article, The Toronto Star

Page A9 from the Monday, November 5, 1990 edition of The Toronto Star. The story titled, "Unity panel many grow, PM says," features a photograph of then Prime Minister shaking hands with former internee Francesco Zaffiro at an event in Concord, ON. The photograph was taken at a luncheon with Italian Canadian community members which followed Mulroney's formal apology to Italian Canadians affected by the government's actions during World War II.

Attempts at redress have been controversial within the Italian Canadian community. Some members feel that Italian Canadians should receive financial compensation or, at the very least, be given a public apology by the prime minister in the House of Commons. Others believe that it is too late for an apology since the majority of internees and enemy aliens have passed away. Redress initiatives began after World War II. Former internees in Hamilton and Montreal petitioned the Canadian government for lost wages, lost businesses and emotional distress. Francesco Zaffiro was among that group. Unfortunately, Zaffiro and his fellow internees did not have sufficient resources to pursue their cause and were unsuccessful in their attempts to receive compensation.